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With the 2014 edition of Rochester Real Beer Week just a few days from kicking off, I'd like to take a moment to introduce you to Al Rogers, founder, owner, and brewmaster of Rogers Beer Company, and the brewer of the official beer of this year's festivities. …More to come on that later…

MEET AL

Al has been brewing beer here in Rochester for ten years, but only three and a half years ago did he decide to begin marketing his brews to his fellow Rochesterians. Since the inception of Rogers Beer Company in the fall of 2010, Al has become a major player in the Rochester craft beer scene, and his top-notch brews and the success that has followed his product are nothing short of noteworthy.

One of the first things I picked up on when talking to Al, was his indisputable passion for beer. On a recent trip to Belgium, he set about finding one of the rarest and most highly-rated beers in the world. He succeeded in doing so, and could only talk about how excited he was to share it with those closest to him. A truly down-to-earth guy, Al's appreciation for those who've helped him get to this point is evident. His brother, Art Rogers, head chef at Lento Restaurant and one of Al's best customers, only features Rogers's beer on draught and, according to Al, has been a big part of getting Rogers Beer Company off the ground.

Following the official release of his first beer (a Pale Ale) at Lento in October of 2010, Al was off and running, almost literally. Al briefly discussed his humble beginnings, a time of driving growlers of his aforementioned brew from bar to bar here in Rochester, as he didn't yet have the capacity to bottle. He mentioned that the beer would go flat after four or five bars, but that in spite of this obstacle, he sold his first keg to Kevin Roman, general manager of The Old Toad British pub, a featured topic in a previous post of mine. Al also mentioned that early on, Chuck from Acme Bar & Pizza became an avid supporter of Rogers' beer as well.

ROGERS BEER COMPANY TODAY

Fast forward three years, and Al's beers can now be found at over 50 restaurants and bars across Western and Central New York, notwithstanding the numerous area stores (Wegmans and AJ's Beer Warehouse, for example) where you can find Rogers Beer Company brews. Al's beer is currently distributed by Rhino Distributors (AJ's Beer Warehouse), and can be found in Rochester, Syracuse, and Buffalo. Al is hoping to eventually reach the Southern Tier and New York City markets, but is in no particular hurry to do so. One of his more immediate goals, however, is to get six-packs of his beers on store shelves, and he mentioned that one day he might put together a tasting room, though AJ's Beer Warehouse is currently assisting him with this facet of his business.

Brewing beer is unquestionably a labor of love for Al, who balances his brewing with a full-time job and a family, and whose fondness for cooking has transpired into a knack for creating beer recipes from scratch. He mentioned that he takes great pride in developing his recipes, and that he won't release a beer until he's confident that it matches his standards. Following the brewing of his test batches at his home, Al sends the beers and the production recipes to CB Craft Brewers of Honeoye Falls, who assist him with tweaking the recipes, and in brewing the final product on his behalf. This workflow is further supported by the fact that he runs the same software at home as CB Craft Brewers to create and adjust his recipes. Al says having them handle the brewing of his finished product helps keeps the beer consistent while keeping up with the ever-growing demand. He also noted that he is further supported by some of Rochester's other local breweries, whom he said he bounces recipe ideas off of for feedback when developing a concept for a beer.

THE BEERS

Since the premier of the Rogers Beer Company Pale Ale, Al has set about keeping his beer names dog themed because of his fondness for "man's best friend." I recently had the opportunity to sample two of these beers, The Mutt Double IPA and the Labrador Double Chocolate Porter, and I was extremely pleased with each of them.

The Mutt weighs in at a modest ABV (for the style) of 8%, with a pleasingly palatable 62 IBUs that doesn't overwhelm. It pours a rich amber color with a two- to three-finger foamy white head with excellent retention. Floral, citrus, and pine aromas are most prevalent, and the first sips are consistent with the nose. The surprisingly malty backbone of this beer makes for a well-balanced and highly drinkable IPA that begs for each subsequent sip. While The Mutt might not light up the palate of your average "hop head," this beer delivers. The piney, citrusy resin of the hops (2.5 lbs. /barrel) clings to the palate throughout the pleasantly dry and well-carbonated finish of this medium-bodied beer. Quite honestly, this 22 oz. bottle came and went in a flash, and I'll be going back for more.

Next on my list was the Labrador Double Chocolate Porter, which I'd had this past winter on draught at a local pub. I remember this beer standing out among the several I tried that evening, so a second take was most certainly warranted. This beer, brewed with "two premium Chocolate malts with Caramel, Brown, and Black specialty malts," sneaks up on you at 8.1% ABV, which is well-hidden behind loads of chocolate and complex malt character. This beer pours an opaque espresso color with a generous one- to two- finger beige head which leaves a nice ring around the edge of the glass all the while you enjoy it. Aromas of caramel and chocolate prevail, and the first sips explode with chocolate accompanied by a decent amount of carbonation. This medium-bodied beer is ideal for cold weather sipping, but makes for a wonderful dessert on a cool summer night. I took my time with this one to let it open up, as porters and stouts tend to divulge their complexity at slightly warmer temperatures. Coffee and roasted malt aromas and flavor notes became more prevalent, and the smoothness of the beer shone through as it warmed and the carbonation settled down. This 22 oz. bottle had a tale to tell as the beer developed in the open air, each sip more and more delicious and complex than the previous one. If you like chocolate, beer, or chocolate with beer, you will love The Labrador Double Chocolate Porter!

Don't just take it from me, folks. At the 2013 Rochester Real Beer Expo, the huge anchor event of Rochester Real Beer Week, Rogers Beer Company's Special Edition Belgian Brown was given the accolade of Best New Beer. With Rochester Real Beer Week 2014 almost upon us, Rogers Beer Company will be celebrating the release of another new beer, a Ruby Red Boxer IPA. Al describes his newest concoction as a summer seasonal, easy-drinking, and big on grapefruit. He mentioned that it is 6.1% ABV and right in the middle of the bitterness scale at 50 IBUs. While talking to him about his beer, he mentioned that he prefers to keep the bitterness toward the low end of the style he's brewing, thereby appealing to a broader group of beer drinkers.

His Ruby Red Boxer IPA will be released this Friday (13th) at the Rochester Tap Room, and will be at the Rochester Real Beer Expo on Saturday. He will be doing tastings all next week at various Wegmans from 5-7 PM. Monday's tasting will be at the Eastway Wegmans on Empire Blvd.; Tuesday's at Hylan Drive in Henrietta; Wednesday's at East Ave.; Thursday's at Pittsford; and Friday's at the Perinton location.

HOW TO GET YOUR "PAWS" ON IT

Al's currently available beers are the Labrador Double Chocolate Porter, the Special Edition Belgian Brown, and The Mutt Double IPA, with the Ruby Red Boxer IPA soon to follow. These beers can be found at AJ's Beer Warehouse, numerous Wegmans locations, and of course at many of our local bars. For a full list of places at which you can find Rogers Beer Company brews, see: www.rogersbeer.com. Though Al's website is currently in production, it does tell you where you can purchase and enjoy his current offerings. He also does a Scotch Ale, which will be available again in January and is currently working on a Black IPA that he hopes to release later this summer.

Be sure to check out the Ruby Red Boxer IPA this weekend, and to look for all of the Rogers Beer Company offerings at your local beer establishment. You'll see for yourself why Rogers Beer Company is award-winning!